Peters



(No Mom.) 2 sheetssheet 1.

J. RANCEVAU.

A GAR GOUPLING. l NQ. 382,730. Patented MSW 15, 1,388.

A I z 'i' all i M'I'Mm m (No Model.) `2 sheets-sheet-T.

LR-ANCEYAU.

GAR, GOUPLING. No. 382,730. y 'Patented May 1551888.

- Fig. 2 is a top View of same.

UNITED STATESk lPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RANoEvAu, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, AssIcNOn on ONE-HALF To JOHN` i s. PATTERSON, or sAME PLAGE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming peut of Lettere Patent No. 392.730. aeree Mey 1s, 188e.

i Application filed May 2, 1887. Serial No. 236,749. (No mcdel) certain new and useful Improvements in Cart(gouplers, of which the following is aspeciflcaA ion.

The several features of my invention and the advantages arising from their use, conjoitly or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description. r

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front end view of my improved coupler.

sents the front part of the draw-head with the upper plate removed to show the mechanism beneath. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the sliding block, showing it in different positions. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken' at the line a: Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken at the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a top View of two draw-heads coupled, the View of each being the same as that shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 6, and illustrating a modification of the sliding block. Fig. 10 shows a desirable form for the triangular block. Fig. 1l is aside elevation of my device.

The device herein described is an improvement on devices for a similar purpose heretofore .patented to me.

The draw-head A is secured to the draw-bar of the car, and provision made by any of the well-known mechanisms for slight lateral oscillation and return to the center line. The front end of the draw-head is rounded off and provided on one side with a beveled face formed by the projecting flanges a of the top and bottom plates. The front of the draw-head is provided with an opening, a', to receive a link,

and an opening, a2, for a pin to hold the link when itis desired to couple the cars in the ordinary way or to couple a car provided with my improved coupling to a cark provided with one of the'ordin'ary link-coupling heads. The front portion of the bar is open between the upper and lower plates to accommodate the operative parts of the device.

The sliding block B rests on the ledge C, and is guided in its movement thereon by the tongue b, which fits in the longitudinal groove Fig. 3 repreo'. (shown in Inge. e end 7.) The. upper hereinafter described. As a means for keep ing the open space in the draw-head closed against the entrance of dust and ashes, the

block'B is provided with the downwardly, projecting lip b. For a similar purposethe lip a,4 is provided. The lip af projects for'- wardly from the rear portion of the drawhead, and is received in the recess b* of the block. The spring S bears against the down-` wardly-projecting lug a3 at the rear, as shown in Fig. 6, and in front against the block'B, thus tending to force the block B forward.

The general outline of the coupling-block vD is preferably that of an equilateral triangle.

It is p ivoted in the draw-head by means ofthe pin D. Each face of the block D is provided with a vertical groove, d, one sideof which is I rounded off, while the other terminates in a shoulder, d. The front end of the block B is shaped to fit the face of the coupling-block D, the shoulder b2 fitting in the grooved and bearing Vagainst the shoulder df.

Instead of making the groove d curved at the bottom, I sometimes make it angular, as.

shown in Fig. 10. The curved form is the preferred one. As shownin Fig. 9, I sometimes provide a groove in the ledge C to receive the spring S, which gets a bearing against therear end of this groove, and also against a lug projecting down from the sliding vblock B.. The lever E is pivoted to the edge ofthe draw-head. It is provided with a tooth, e, which, when the lever isdown, fitsbehind the sliding block B and prevents its backward movement.V The bar F is attached to' the free end of the lever Fr preferably by a slotted joint, .a h` wn. The bar F extends above theplatformyand is provided with the notch f, to'becaght overa pin to hold the bar up., f

The mode of operation of the de'lvicevisans fol'. lows: As two cars approach each other,thev

beveled faces of the draw-heads lmeet each other, and each is forced laterally untilthe'por jecting angles of the blocks D pass eachother,v

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when the draw-heads are returned to their original positions, interlocking, as shownin Fig. 8. With the cars thus coupled, they are held securely together as long as the tooth eis behind the sliding block B. When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the tooth e of each coupler is withdrawn from its socket behind the block B by raising the bar F, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Traction now causes the blocks D to rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 8, which movement enables the blocks to slip past each other and allow the cars to be uncoupled. When the couplingblock D revolves in the direction of the arrow, it causes the block B to move back against the tension of the spring S W'hen the corner of the coupling-block D passes the shoulder b2 of the block B, the latter immediately flies forward automatically through the agency of spring S and the coupling-block is brought to the proper position, and the lever E, being dropped, locks it in this position. The spring S keeps the block B against the coupling-block D, and thus not only holds the block D in position for coupling, but leaves the space Z behind the block and between it and the shoulderWof the drawhead fully open for the reception of the tooth e, so that the latter can be easily inserted into said space Z without friction, and the coupling-block be easily locked in position.

It is evident that so long as the tooth e is in position the sliding block B cannot be forced backwardly and the block D cannot rotate. In coupling the cars there is a tendency to cause the blocks D to rotate in the opposite direction to that indicated by` the arrow. Such a movement would interfere with the proper locking of the device, and is to be avoided. It is prevented in my device by the jamming of the shoulder b2 of the block B against one of the shoulders d of the block D.

A special advantage of the device as at presentconstructedconsistsin providingthe flanges b and a', which serve to close the open space and prevent the entrance of cinders or other objects which might interfere with the proper action of the operating parts. While that feature of my invention which relates to the notch d of the coupling-block D is preferably employed with that feature of my invention which relates to a spring, S, for advancing block B against the coupling-block D, nevertheless it maybe employed without said spring. Y

It may here be remark ed that while the various features of my invention are preferably ernployed together, one or more of them may be employed without the remainder, and in so far as applicable one or more of said features may be employed in connection with coupling devices other than those specitcall y hereinbefore set forth.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isw- 1. The draw bar and head and the revolving triangular block D, each face of which is pro vided with a groove, d, and shoulder d, having an abrupt face forming one wall of the groove d, in combination with sliding block B, having projection b2 adapted to fitin the groove dland against the shoulder d', substantially as and for the purposes specified. f

2. The draw bar and head andthe revolving triangular block D, each face of which is provided with a groove, d, and shoulder d', having an abrupt face forming one wall of the groove d, in combination with sliding block B, having projection b'l adapted to fit in the groove d, and means for locking the block B against the block D, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The draw bar and head and the combination of the revolving triangular block D, each face of which is provided with a groove, d, and shoulder d', having an abrupt face forming one wall of the groove d, sliding block B, having projection b2 adapted to iit in the groove d and against the shoulder d', and lever E, provided with tooth e for insertion between block B and a projection or shoulder of the draw-head, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The draw bar and head and the combination of the revolving triangular block D, each face of which is provided with a groove, d,and shoulder d', having an abrupt face forming one wall of the groove d, and sliding block B, having shoulder b2 projecting to the line of strain and adapted to fit in the groove d and against the shoulder d', substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The draw bar and head and the combina.- tion of revolving triangular block D, havingl faces provided with grooves d and shoulder d, and a sliding block, B, having shoulder b, shaped substantially as set forth, and lever E, provided with tooth e, and slotted lever F, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the draw bar and head and triangular coupling-block D, sliding block B, spring S, and a wedge or plug to intervene between the sliding block and a fixed point on the draw-bar to lock the sliding block iu position, substantially as specified.

7. The combination ofthe draw bar and head, triangular block D, each face of which is provided with groove d 'and shoulder d', sliding block B, provided with lshoulder b2, spring S, and a wedge or plug to intervene between the sliding block and a'xed point on the drawbar to lock the sliding block in position, substantially as specified.

A 8. The combination of the draw-head A,provided with transverse open space in which the triangular block D is pivoted, the triangular block D, having in each face groove d and shoulder d', and sliding block B, provided with lip b3 and shoulder b2, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of the draw-head A,provided with transverse open space in which the triangular block D is pivoted, the triangular block D, having in each face a groove, d, and

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' 382,730,- l 5 f. p 3v volving triangular block D, having grooves d, respectively provided with .shoulders d', slid- -ing block B, having shoulder b, provided with v l lip b and tongue b, draw-head provided with 5 provided with transverse open space in which spaces a', lugr a. shoulderfor abutment w, lipv the triangular block D is pivoted, the triangua, and groove C, tooth e,connected with lever lar block D, having in each face a groove, d, and E, and slotted bar F,fsubstant-ially asset forth. shouder d', and sliding blockB, provided with Y JOHN 'RANCEVAIR e,

shoulder d', and sliding block B, and lip a, projectng from the draw-head, substantially as setforth. l l l 10. The combination of the draw-head A,

11. In a car-coupler, the combination of reiip b and shoulder bz and lip a, projecting Attest: Y i 1 0 from the draw-head, snbstantiallyassetforth. O. M.HILL, l l WJ?. GULICK. Y. Y, .if 

